Circular knitting machines equipped with wrap thread mechanism



CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES EQUIPPED WITH WRAP THREAD MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1958 Oct. 18, 1960 A. P. SAUNDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a x n. a q I 6 5 v l 5 6 1 a a \hw M QHQ M I O I v 2 m 2 d b .2 H M. S 7 N Z m 4 I F 1 8 wk 4 9 a 17 n F a 4 f E .Q. W 6 v 7 4 T 3 4 7 c m 7 5 8 3 4 98W 1D 8 L m O un v l 1| B m I 3 r. 1 3, x .w J Fr huh-. 4 2 m 4 F hi1 d //VVEN7'OR ALFRED PERCY SAUNDERS ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 196 A. P. SAUNDERS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES EQUIPPED WITH WRAP THREAD MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/VVENTOF ALFRED PERCY SAUNDERS ATTORNEY 2,956,425 Patented Get. 18,1950

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES EQUlP-PED WITH WRAP THREAD MECHANISM Alfred Percy Saunders, Leicester, England, assignor to Wildt Mellor Bromley Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Filed Jan. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 710,216

Claims priority, application Great Britain Jan. 29, 1957 7 Claims. (Cl. 66-135) This invention relates to circular knitting machines of the superimposed rotary needle cylinder type comprising co-axial bottom or plain and top or rib needle cylinders, double-ended latch needles for operation in said cylinders, bottom and top sliders for actuating the needles, and also for transferring the same from one cylinder to the other, and vice versa, in the production of various rib, purl and links-links fabrics and effects.

In particular, the invention has reference to circular knitting machines of this type furnished with a vertical embroidery head, by which is meant a wrap striping mechanism comprising individually movable wrap instruments for wrapping or lapping 'wale (embroidery) threads, drawn from individual bobbins, pirns, spools or the like, around desired needles, such threads being additional to the main yarn or yarns ordinarily supplied, and means for producing relative movement between the needles and the wrap instruments for the purpose of producing wrap striping and a variety of other pattern or design effects such, for example, as vertical or diagonal stripes, clocks, broken zig-zag effects, individual geometrical and other ornamental motifs or the like by embroidery plating on the face of knitted fabric.

The invention, moveover, concerns machines of the type referred to equipped with wrap striping mechanism of the kind wherein wrap instruments of a circular series consist of blade-like elements each provided with a lower thread guiding extremity, which instruments are arranged so as to extend in an axial direction or substantially so with respect to the needle cylinders and are adapted for movement radially for the purpose of carrying their wale threads across the needle circle, from the inside to the outside and vice verse, by virtue of which movement and conjoint relative lateral movement between the thread guiding extremities and the hooked ends of needles working in the bottom needle cylinder and which are to receive the threads, the latter are wrapped or lapped around desired needles.

In such wrap striping mechanism each of the wrap instruments is provided with a thread guiding extremity at least a portion of which extends at an angle, for example at right angles, to the main portion of the blade, and the said instruments are mounted in a longitudinally tricked or grooved cylindrical bed located concentrically within the top needle cylinder of the machine for individual movement radially conjointly with the aforementioned lateral deflection between the instruments and the corresponding needles.

For convenience in the following further description, mechanism such as that described in the last two preceding paragraphs will hereinafter be referred to as wrap striping mechanism of the kind concerned.

Now heretofore extraction of wrap instruments from a circular knitting machine of the type herein referred to ezg uipped with wrap striping mechanism of the kind concerned has not been possible without first dismantling at least a part of the head of the machine.

' The object of the present invention, therefore, is so to improve the construction of the vertical embroidery head in such a machine as to enable the wrap instruments to be easily extracted from the latter.

According to this invention the top needle cylinder of the machine. and the longitudinally tricked or grooved cylindrical bed housing the wrap instruments are so relatively dimensioned and mounted as to provide between them an annular space providing freedom of passage for wrap instruments as and when they are extracted from the embroidery head each with an upward longitudinal movement.

The said annular space is thus provided between the internal cylindrical surface of the top needle cylinder and the external tricked or grooved surface of the cylindrical wrap instrument bed. Thus, during extraction of a wrap instrument upwardly, the operative portion of its thread guiding extremity, protruding from the trick or groove in the instrument bed from which the said instrument is being withdrawn, is accommodated in, and passes safely up through, the annular space.

In carrying out the invention the top needle cylinder and the cylindrical wrap instrument bed are mounted upon independent anti-friction bearings.

In addition to the provision of an annular space between the top needle cylinder and the cylindrical wrap instrument bed, easy extraction of the wrap instruments upwardly is made possible, according to this invention, by providing, in such of the gears and rotaryparts which are co-axial with and located above the top cylinder component of the machine, apertures or gaps of substantial circumferential extent through which the wrap instruments can be withdrawn. V

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, a specific constructional example thereof as applied to a circular seamless hose or half hose knitting machine will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of so much of the knitting head of such machine as is necessary to illustrate the application thereto of the improved vertical wrap striping mechanism constructed to facilitate the extraction of Wrap instruments therefrom, and

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional plan views taken respectively on the lines 11-11 and 111111 of Figure 1.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the machine includes a rotary bottom or plain needle cylinder 1, a superimposed rotary top or rib needle cylinder 2, doubleended latch needles 3 for operation in these cylinders, bottom and top sliders 4 and 5 respectively for actuating the needles and also transferring the same from one cylinder to the other, and vice versa.

The illustrated machine is equipped with a vertical embroidery head comprising a longitudinally tricked or grooved cylindrical bed 6 which is located concentrically within the top needle cylinder 2 and has mounted therein a circular series of axially extending wrap instruments 7 consisting of blade-like elements each provided with a lower thread guiding extremity 8. These wrap instru ments 7 are, as previously mentioned, adapted for movement radially to and fro across the needle circle, i.e. from the'inside to the outside thereof, and vice versa, by virtue of which movement and conjoint relative lateral movement between the thread guiding extremities 8 and the hooked ends 3a of the needles 3 working in the bottom needle cylinder 1 and which needles are to receive Wale threads, the latter are Wrapped or lapped around desired needles. I

To enable the aforementioned lateral deflection to be achieved, each wrap instrument 7 has a portion 8a of its lower thread guiding extremity 8 laterally offset, e.g. bent, cranked, or twisted, so as to enable it to co-operate either with an adjacent needle, as shown, or with a relevant separate deflecting element suchwise that deflection of the instrument 7 is effected simply as the result of the co-action, of the laterally offset portion 8a with the adjacent needle or deflecting element during radial movement of the instrument.

The instruments 7 may be arranged so that each sup plies its wale thread invariably to the same needle, although in the specific example illustrated provision is made for varying the relative positions of the wrap instruments 7 and the needles 3 laterally so that the said instruments can supply wale threads to different needles. This result is achieved by shogging the cylindrical instrument bed 6 to displace the instruments 7 laterally over one or more of the needles 3. A typical example of shogging. mechanism suitable for this purpose is disclosed in the prior US. Patent No. 2,065,469.

In accordance with the characteristic feature of the present invention, the top needle cylinder 2 and the longitudinally tricked or grooved cylindrical instrument bed 6 are so relatively dimensioned and mounted as to provide between them a clear annular space S providing freedom of passage for wrap instruments 7 as and when they are extracted from the embroidery head each with an upward longitudinal movement. Thus, as will be seen, to provide the annular space S the external diameter of the bed 6 is less than the internal diameter of the top needle cylinder 2.

Moreover, each of the wrap instruments 7' housed in the bed 6 is provided, intermediate its ends, with a rounded, e.g. ball-shaped, fulcrum portion 9 the front edge of which protrudes outwardly from the corresponding trick or groove 6a for contact with the internal surface 2a of the top needle cylinder 2. The back edge of the rounded fulcrum portion 9 contacts the back or bottom of the relevant trick or groove 6a. The fulcrum portions 9 are accordingly so dimensioned as to bridge the annular space S between the cylindrical instrument bed and the top cylinder 2.

During extraction of a wrap instrument 7 upwardly, the operative portion of its thread guiding extremity 6 is accommodated in, and passes safely up through, the annular space S. Consequently, the offset (bent, cranked or twisted) portion 8a of the said extremity is located in the annular space S and can be withdrawn therealong without any possibility of the said portion entering a trick or groove 6a in the instrument bed. In this regard it will be appreciated that were a laterally offset portion 8a to enter such a trick or groove (the width of which only approximates the thickness of the blade) the instrument 7 would jam in the trick groove and not only be prevented from being withdrawn but also be damaged.

The upper end of the top needle cylinder 2 has rigidly attached thereto a bearing plate 10 which seats upon the balls 11 of a bearing 12 carried by the conventional top" plate 13 of the machine. The internal surface of the lower portion of the top needle cylinder 2 is somewhat outwardly bevelled or flared as indicated at 2b to provide space for accommodation of the lower ends of wrap instruments 7 whenever these are moved radially outwards across the needles 3 in the bottom needle cylinder 1.

Secured by screws to the underside of the top cylinder bearing plate 10 is a concentric top cylinder gear 14 arranged in mesh with a pinion 15 keyed to a vertical driving shaft 16 adapted to be driven from the conventional bottom needle cylinder gear (not shown). This vertical shaft 16 is the standard component serving to connect the top and bottom cylinders and to drive the same together at the same rotational speed.

The cylindrical wrap instrument bed 6 extends a substantial axial distance above the top needle cylinder 2. Secured to the upper end of the said bed, e.g. by means of screws, is a gear 17 of the same diameter as the top cylinshaft 16.

der gear 14. Below the circular series of spur teeth 17a on the wrap instrument bed gear 17' is an outwardly extending and horizontally disposed peripheral flange 18 to the underside of which is secured a ring 19 arranged to seat upon a circular series of balls 20 of a further ball bearing 21this time housed in acentral recess 22 formed in an. upper horizontal. plate 23 located well above the top plate 13. For driving, and shogging when required, the cylindrical wrap instrument bed 6 there is provided a pinion 24 which is freely mounted on the vertical shaftv 16 and is arranged in mesh with the Wrap instrument bed gear 17. The pinion 24 which is of the same diameter as the pinion 15 meshing with the top cylinder gear 14, has in association therewith a driving member 25 which is keyed on the vertical shaft 16 but is adapted for axial adjustment automatcially and to act between screws 26 on the pinion 24 for the purpose of imparting independent turning movement to the latter as Well as driving it so that the cylindrical wrap instrument bed 6 is shogged one or more times in one direction or the other to an extent equal to the pitch of the needles 3. The shogging mechanism, the details of which do not immediately concern the present-invention, is, in fact, of the character described in prior US. Patent No. 2,065,469 aforesaid to which reference may be made for further particulars.

The wale threads, in this example, are supplied to the wrap instruments from a number of bobbins B supported by a carrier 27 arranged co-axially with respect to the cylindrical wrap instrument bed 6. This carrier 27 is mounted upon an annular bearing plate 28 which seats upon a third circular series of balls 29 of a bearing 30 accommodated in a support 31 rigid with and projecting upwardly from the upper plate 23. Secured to the underside of the annular bearing plate 28 is a bobbin carrier gear 31 of the same diameter as the wrap instrument bed and top cylinder gears 14 and 17, and this bobbin carrier gear meshes with a pinion 32 keyed to the vertical The bobbin carrier pinion 32 is located immediately above the wrap instrument bed pinion 24. Ex-

tending vertically downwards through the central opening in the annular bearing plate 28 and right through the cylindrical wrap instrument bed 6, concentrically therein, are concentric nested cylinders 33, 34 serving to guide the wale threads from the bobbins B to the thread guiding extremities 8 of the wrap instruments 7. Near to its upper end, the complete component constituted by the nested wale thread guiding cylinders 33 and 34, is rigidly connected with the annular bearing plate 28, this component being thereby adapted to be driven together with, and at the same speed as, the bobbin carrier 27.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the wrap instrument bed gear 17, the bobbin carrier gear 31 and the annular bearing plate 28 to which the latter is attached are all circumferentially apertured at 36, 37 and 38 respectively in the manner previously described herein to enable the wrap instruments 7 to be extracted upwardly therethrough.

As will be appreciated from a consideration of Figures 2 and 3, the apertures formed in the specified parts are arcuate in shape and so relatively disposed as to provide between them narrow, radiating arms serving to connect a peripheral portion of the relevant gear or plate with a central limb or like portion thereof. Thus, in Figure 2, it will be seen that the'bobbin carrier gear 31 has formed therein arcuate apertures 37 between which are radiating arms 39 serving to connect the peripheral portion 31a of the said gearwith a central hub 31b thereof. Similarly, in Figure 3 it will be noted that the annular bearing plate 28 has therein similar arcuate apertures 38 between which are radiating arms 40 serving to connect the peripheral portion 28a (Figure 1) of the plate with a central hub 28b. The number of separate arcuate apertures in each of the gears or in the plate concerned, and hence also the number of radiating connector arms with which the said gears and the plate are provided is reduced to a minimum so as to minimise obstructions in the path of upward withdrawal of wrap instruments 7. The improved construction and arrangement are accordingly such that the wrap instruments 7 are passed up actually through the gears 17 and 31 and also through the bearing plate 28. If a radial connector arm tends to obstruct a wrap instrument requiring to be extracted, the blade of the instrument can be readily flexed to direct it through the adjoining aperture Alternatively, each of the appropriate gears and the relevant bearing plate may include a peripheral portion supported by an initially separate spider having widely spaced separate arms radiating from a hub or the like.

The wrap instruments 7 in the illustrated example are adapted to be selectively raised from a lower inoperative height, at which they are quiescent and maintained inoperative with their thread guiding extremities 8 withdrawn, to a higher operative height at which actuating butts 41 thereon are disposed in the range of a control cam system C whereby movements of the selected instruments are complete and positively controlled during the wrapping of wale threads around desired needles. The mechanism for selecting the instruments is indicated generally at 42.

I claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, superimposed rotary bottom and top needle cylinders, double-ended latch needles operating in said cylinders, bottom and top sliders in the needle cylinders for actuating the needles and transferring the same from one cylinder to the other, and vice versa, and a vertical embroidery head comprising a longitudinally grooved rotary cylinder bed located concentrically within the top needle cylinder, and a circular series of wrap instruments in said grooved cylindrical bed, said instruments, which consist of bladelike elements, each provided with a lower outwardly directed thread guiding extremity, being arranged so as to extend substantially in an axial direction with respect to the needle cylinders and adapted for movement radially for the purpose of carrying wale threads to and fro across the needle circle by virtue of which movement and conjoint relative lateral movement between the thread guiding extremities of said wrap instruments and the upper hooked ends of needles working in the bottom needle cylinder, the wale threads are wrapped around desired needles, the said top needle cylinder and the longitudinally grooved bed housing the wrap instruments being so relatively dimensioned and mounted as to provide between them an annular space providing freedom of passage for wrap instruments as and when they are extracted from the embroidery head each with an upward longitudinal movement.

2. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, superimposed rotary bottom and top needle cylinders, double-ended latch needles operating in said cylinders, bottom and top sliders in the needle cylinders for actuating the needles and transferring the same from one cylinder to the other, and vice versa, a vertical embroidery head comprising a longitudinally grooved rotary cylindrical bed located concentrically within the top needle cylinder, and a circular series of wrap instruments in said grooved cylindrical bed, said instruments, which consist of blade-like elements each provided with a lower outwardly directed thread guuiding extremity, being arranged so as to extend substantially in an axial direction with respect to the needle cylinders and adapted for movement radially for the purpose of carrying wale threads to and fro across the needle circle by virtue of which movement and conjoint relative lateral movement between the thread guiding extremities of said wrap instruments and the upper hooked ends of needles working in the bottom needle cylinder, the wale threads are wrapped around desired needles, and independent anti-friction bearings upon which the top needle cylinder and the longitudinally grooved cylindrical bed housing the wrap instruments are respectively mounted, an annular space being" provided between the internal cylindrical surface of the top needle cylinder and the external grooved surface of the said wrap instrument bed so as to'provide freedom of passage for wrap instruments as and when they are extracted from the embroidery head each with an upward longitudinal movement, the arrangement also being such that during such extraction of a wrap instrument-the operativeportion of its outwardly directed thread guiding extremity, protruding from the relevant groove in the aforesaid bed, is accommodated in, and passes safely up through, the annular space.

3. A combination according to claim 2, wherein each of the wrap instruments is provided intermediate its ends with a rounded fulcrum portion the front edge of which protrudes outwardly from the corresponding groove in the cylindrical instrument bed for contact with the internal surface of the top needle cylinder whilst the back edge of the said rounded fulcrum portion contacts the back of the said groove, the fulcrum portion thereby bridging the annular space between the top needle cylinder and the wrap instrument bed.

4. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, superimposed rotary bottom and top needle cylinders, double-ended latch needles operating in said cylinders, bottom and top sliders in the needle cylinders for actuating the needles and transferring the same from one cylinder to the other, and vice versa, a bearing plate attached to the upper end of the top needle cylinder, a first horizontal fixed plate, a ball bearing which is carried by said fixed plate and includes balls upon which seats the bearing plate attached to the top needle cylinder, a longitudinally grooved rotary cylindrical bed located concentrically within the top needle cylinder, 2. gear secured to the upper end of said cylindrical bed whereby the latter is driven, said gear having a peripheral flange, a second longitudinal fixed plate located above the first fixed plate, a second ball bearing housed in said second fixed plate and having balls by which the peripheral flange on the gear is supported, and a circular series of wrap instruments in said grooved cylindrical bed, said instruments, which consist of blade-like elements each provided with a lower outwardly directed thread guiding extremity, being arranged so as to extend substantially in an axial direction with respect to the needle cylinders and adapted for movement radially for the purpose of carrying Wale threads to and fro across the needle circle by virtue of which movement and conjoint relative lateral movement between the thread guiding extremities of said wrap instruments and the upper hooked ends of needles working in the bottom needle cylinder, the wale threads are wrapped around desired needles, an annular space being provided between the internal cylindrical surface of the top needle cylinder and the external grooved surface of the said wrap instrument bed so as to provide freedom of passage for wrap instruments as and when they are extracted from the machine each with an upward longitudinal movement, the arrangement also being such that during such extraction of a wrap instrument the operative portion of its outwardly directed thread guiding extremity. protruding from the relevant groove in the aforesaid bed, is accommodated in, and passes safely up through, the annular space.

5. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, superimposed rotary bottom and top needle cylinders, double-ended latch needles operating in said cylinders, bottom and top sliders in the needle cylinders for actuating the needles and transferring the same from one cylinder to the other, and vice versa, 2. bearing plate attached to the upper end of the top needle cylinder, a first horizontal fixed plate, a ball hearing which is carried by said fixed plate and includes balls upon which seats the bearing plate attached to the top needle cylinder, a longitudinally grooved rotary cylindrical bed located concentrically within the top needle cylinder, at

gear secured to the upper endof said cylindrical bed er by the latt r. isdrive s d a havingta periphera flange -22 second longitudinal fixed plate located above the first. fixed-plate, a second ball bearing housed in said second fixed plate and having ballsby which the peripheral flange on the gear is supported, a wale thread bobbin carrier arranged co-axially with respect to the cylindrical bed, a further annular bearing plate upon which saidbobhin carrier is mounted, another circular series of balls of a third bearing upon whichrthe said further annular bearing plate seats, a support which is rigid with said second fixed plate and is formed to accomg modate the said third bearing, a gear whereby the bobbin carrier is driven, said last mentioned gear being secured to the said further annular-bearing plate, and a circular series of Wrap instruments in said grooved cylindrical bed, said instruments, which consist of blade-like elements each provided with a lower outwardly directed thread guiding extremity, being arranged so as to extend substantially in an axial direction with respect to. the needle cylinders and adapted for movement radially for the purpose of carrying wale threads to and fro across the needle circle by virtue of which movement and conjoint relative lateral movement between the thread guiding extremities of said wrap instruments and the upper hooked ends of needles working in the bottom needle cylinder, the wale threads are wrapped around desired V needles, an annular space being provided between the t r l cy n r cal r a e e op dl yl e and the external grooved; surface of thesaid wrap instrument bed so asto providefreedorn, of passage for wrap instruments as and whentheyareextracted from the machine each withan upward longitudinal'movement, and apertures cit-substantial circumferential extent being provided in the wrap instrument bed gear, the bobbin carrier gear and the aforesaid further annular bearing plate to which the last mentioned gear is attached for the purpose of facilitating upward extraction of the wrap instruments. g g a V g -6. Aycircular knitting machine according to claim 5, wherein the apertures provided for the specified purpose in the wrap instrument bed gear, in the bobbin carrier gear and also in the said further annular bearing plate are arcuate in shape and. so relatively disposed as to provide between them narrow, radiating arms serving to connect a peripheral portion with a central. hub-portion of the relevant gear, or the bearing plate, as the case. may be. I

7. A circular knitting machine according to claim 5, wherein the wrap instrument bed gear and the bobbin carrier gear are both driven, through the medium of pinions, from a shaft from which the superimposed rotary needle cylinders are also driven; 

